Would Like to have a good book or web site to see what these sites (in Rome) looked like before they wre torn apart (ie. Forum, colloseum etc.). Are there maps and diagrams located at each site that also help navigate you through what you are seeing?

Hi
At souvenir stands all over Rome you can buy inexpensive books (one title may be "Rome Past and Present", but you'll know them at once.) They have pictures of the current sites, and clear overlays to show you what the buildings originally looked like, with other information.

At the Forum and the Colosseum there are audio guides to let you know what you are looking at. Wear comfortable shoes as the pavement is broken and a little steep in a few areas. However, I highly recommend taking a guided tour of these areas as a good guide can make the place come alive. My company of choice is
Context Rome-Scala Reale; others like
Enjoy Rome or Through Eternity.

http://www.roma2000.it/english.htm
http://www.capitolium.org/eng/virtuale/virtuale.htm
http://www.quiknet.com/~fifi/index50.html

Dan: I asked the same question myself a few months ago and Foderites provided me with the above links.

regards Ger

Danimal, Elaine mentioned the book "Rome Past and Present". I bought that book many years ago and I found it to be wonderful as well as small and easy to carry. I was interested that this book is still for sale. If you come across it I would sure buy it. Have a wonderful trip!

I've downloaded a wealth of information on this subject from our own Walter...

ParadiseLost ([email protected])

including "The Ides of March" written by him that he emailed to me on 5/25/04.

Use the Search Box on this page for his postings.

Also, see

http://myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Rome-Forum.htm

Thanks!

Thanks Tuck, I'm a bit of a Roman Forum nerd .
Danimal: At the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill you are on your own as far as maps and diagrams of the sites.
In the Roman Forum some of the sites are signposted in Italian but some are also wrong, Tomb of Romulus, Temple of Augustus and Temple of Jupitor Stayor. They were wrongly ID'd 100+ yrs ago and they never changed them.
I haven't tried the Forum and Colosseum audioguides in a few years but then they left alot to be desired.
The Google 'Images' link is very good for finding modern photos and reconstruction drawings of individual sites.
The best guidebook for the ancient sites is the 'Oxford Archaeological Guide Rome'.
With ancient ruins it's nice to know what they looked like back then but it's alot better to know what happened at those locations . Regards, Walter